A young British woman tried to smuggle cash in her underwear to fund jihadists fighting in Syria, a court has heard.

Nawal Msaad, 27, was caught with the stash of 20,000 euro in rolled up notes as she prepared to board a flight to Istanbul from Heathrow, jurors heard.

The Old Bailey was told she agreed to be a "trusted courier" for her close friend Amal El-Wahabi, also 27.

The money was to be taken to Turkey at the request of El-Wahabi's husband Aine Davis - who had joined fighters in Syria.

Msaad was stopped by police, after the cash which had been hidden inside her in a condom, fell out into her pants.

Msaad, of Holloway, north London, and El-Wahabi, of north west London, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of funding terrorism. They deny the charge.

The prosecutor Mark Dennis, QC, said the women, who were both born in London, had been close friends for years.

Davis left London in July last year to pursue the jihadist cause but had maintained regular contact with his wife, with whom he has two young sons, he said.

The 30-year-old, who was also born in London with roots in Gambia, converted to Islam six or seven years ago, the court heard.

Mr Dennis said: "It is alleged in this case that the money that the second defendant was attempting to take out to Turkey was money that had been raised in this country and had been destined to support the jihadist cause which Davis was now pursuing with like-minded supporters.

"The allegation in this case is that each defendant, when becoming concerned in the arrangement of the smuggling of this money to Turkey at the behest of Davis, knew of, at the very least had reasonable cause to suspect, that the money was or might be used for the purposes of terrorism."

Msaad had been studying human resources at London Metropolitan University in Aldgate at the time her friend had allegedly offered her 1,000 euro to be a courier.

On January 16, she set off for Heathrow airport for the three-day trip but when she approached the departure gate she was stopped by police.

After showing her passport, she was asked why she was going to Istanbul.

She replied it was for a "short break" and added that she was buying gold for her mother.

She said she had 20,000 euro "around me".

Mr Dennis said: "She was then taken to a private room where she pulled out a roll of banknotes from inside her underwear and handed it across to the officers. The banknotes were tightly rolled and were wrapped in cling film.

"It would appear that it would have been further hidden inside her body, wrapped in a condom."